GE-Lighting, a Savant company, plant closing in Bucyrus

Correction

In a previous version of this story, the company was referred to as GE-Savant. The correct name is GE Lighting, a Savant company. Crawford Source made the error.

BUCYRUS — GE Lighting, a Savant company, informed its Bucyrus employees Wednesday its plant would be closing, according to various press releases and published reports.

The announcement did not specify a closure date, although speculation is it will take place at some point later this year. It is estimated that 175 workers are employed at the 1250 S. Walnut St. facility, which has an 80-year history of making light bulbs in the Crawford County community. At one point more than 300 people worked at the plant during the height of its productivity.

The company issued the following statement:

“Today, GE Lighting, a Savant company announced an intent to cease plant operations in Bucyrus and Logan, OH. These plants manufacture linear fluorescent lamps that have experienced a year after year double-digit decline in demand over the last five years across the lighting industry. The other technology manufactured, energy efficient halogen, has already been regulated off the market by the states of California and Nevada, and proposed DOE federal policy will soon end manufacture and sales across the country.

“This proposed plant action is not final and is subject to decision bargaining with the union, if requested. Once that concludes, if the decision by the business is to proceed, operations will cease and plants will close on or around Sept. 30.

“This decision was not taken lightly, and the actions are not a reflection on the talented, hardworking, and committed employees affected.”

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) blasted the closure.

“Once again, we are witnessing the result of decades of misguided tax and trade policies that work against Ohio workers and companies that want to manufacture in the U.S.,” Brown said in a statement to Crawford Source.

“I have been fighting alongside the men and women of GE-Savant for years, and I won’t stop fighting for them and their community now. This announcement should serve as a wake-up call – innovation happens on the shop room floor, and when 99% of energy efficient light bulbs are made in China, it is impossible for us to compete.

“We need to make more things in America – not cede market share in the products of the future to China.”

Almost exactly a year ago, 81 workers were laid off at GE-Savant in Bucyrus. That action drew a visit from Brown to Bucyrus in May.

But a double-digit decline in demand for the product was among the factors that doomed the local plant’s future. Eventually, the decision was reached to close a pair of Ohio plants, in Bucyrus and Logan.

Bucyrus mayor Jeff Reser issued a statement to Crawford County Now expressing his disappointment in the news.

“We were informed today that the Bucyrus General Electric Plant will be closing after a long history of manufacturing light bulbs in our city,” Reser said. “This is sad news for the workers and families who will be affected as well as our entire community.

“General Electric has been an integral part of the fabric of life for several generations in Bucyrus and has been a consistent source of employment for thousands of workers and their families. We pledge our support in helping local agencies place the GE workers into new careers in the Bucyrus area.”

Erin Stine, speaking on behalf of the Crawford Partnership’s board of directors, issued a statement to the Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum.

“We understand these challenges are being felt on both a national and global scale, and that this is not simply a local issue,” Stine said. “The decision to close the plant in Bucyrus is in no way a reflection of the quality of our regional workforce.”